Students of film will especially benefit from this demonstration of the power of succinctness

Sundown Poetry SeriesWHAT IS IT? Published and spoken word poets read their works in the courtyard of the Dock Street Theatre. WHY SEE IT? Ten poets and 10 nights give our English major friends a great chance to get their spoken word on. Local favorites Marcus Amaker, Patricia Gray, and Rose Moore Tomlin highlight the lineup. It’s a pleasant way to wind down a busy day, or gear up for an exciting night of Spoleto-ing. WHO SHOULD GO? Anyone with an appreciation for the intricacies of the English language and the masters who spin it into verse. Kids might get a little bored by 45 minutes of one person talking. Buzz: For some festival-goers, this is a favorite, but the crowds are rarely too thick on a nightly basis. (Stratton Lawrence)PICCOLO SPOLETO • Free • (45 min) • May 28 - June 1, June 4 - June 8, 6:30 p.m. • Dock Street Theatre Courtyard, 133 Church St. • 724-7305

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Stories for LifeWHAT IS IT? A sprawling juggernaut of community outreach and good-old fashioned yarn-spinning. Local “tellers” Hawk Hurst and Linda Stout have assembled a line-up of nationally-known talent including Doug Elliott, Orville Hicks, and Mitch Capel, a.k.a Gran’daddy Junebug. WHY SEE IT? At least one of the Friday night Showcase Tales is likely near you, in a venue with sinfully easy parking. WHO SHOULD GO? The young, the old, and the edgy. Organizers are adamant that these stories aren’t watered-down, “for kids only” fare. Buzz: Every year, someone seems to step up to the plate and fill the festival’s literary void. Stories for Life is doing it in a big way, with more than three dozen tellers, poets, and writers on the two-day, all-day bill. (Jonathan Sanchez)PICCOLO SPOLETO • Free • May 25 at 7 p.m. (Various venues); May 26, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. • Marion Square; Charleston Museum, 360 Meeting St.; St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 405 King St. • 724-7305. www.stories4life.org

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Folly Felder Film FestivalWHAT IS IT? The brainchild of film veterans Clarence Felder, Nick Smith (a regular CP contributor), and Michael Givens, the Folly Felder Film Festival is a run of original short flicks submitted by aspiring filmmakers from across the country. WHY SEE IT? The power of 15-minute films is in their brevity — if you don’t happen to like a particular one, it will be over soon enough, and when one is a hit, you’ll be amazed at just how much story can fit in a bite-sized package. WHO SHOULD GO? Those who long for the limelight, students of film, aspiring screenwriters and directors alike, and those who just like to settle back with a bucket full of popcorn drizzled with saturated fats and butter and lose themselves in the magic of the movies. Buzz: Awards are up for grabs, so those submitting films for consideration are eager to impress and sending the best of their best. (Jason A. Zwiker)PICCOLO SPOLETO • Free • (2 hours) • June 3, 4 at 7 p.m.; Special family-friendly, all G-rated show :June 3 at 2 p.m. • Holiday Inn, 1 Center St., Folly Beach • 724-7305

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Conversations With ...WHAT IS IT? Free, open dialogues with Spoleto Festival artists hosted by Emmy Award-winning CBS News correspondent Martha Teichner. WHY SEE IT? Think of “Conversations With” as the director’s and actors’ commentary that comes bundled on movie DVDs these days, but more spontaneous. The series this year includes members of Israel’s Batsheva Dance Company (Sun. May 27), actors from the Gate Theatre’s production of The Constant Wife (Tues. May 29), principals from the opera The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (Sun. June 3), and composer Philip Glass (Fri. June 8). WHO SHOULD GO? Anyone who’s planning to see one of the four productions in the series. Buzz: Recent conversations have seen DJ Spooky talking about New York turntable culture and handing out free CDs, Mabou Mines Dollhouse director Lee Breuer and his four-foot-tall actors dumping all over P&C overview critic Blair Tindall for her review of the show, and hip-hop impresario Danny Hoch dropping the most intelligent, erudite f-bombs this side of Deadwood’s Al Swearengen. (Patrick Sharbaugh)Spoleto Festival USA • Free • (1 hour) • Batsheva: Sun. May 27 at 4 p.m.; The Constant Wife: Tues. May 29 at 5 p.n.; The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny: Sun. June 3 at 5 p.m.; Philip Glass: Fri. June 8 at 5 p.m. • Recital Hall, Simons Center for the Arts, 54 St. Philip St. • 579-3100